


Finding A Way

by HouseofSannae



Series: Kingdom Hearts Ψ [22]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Birth by Sleep 2: Electric Boogaloo, Gen, T/L Note: keikaku means plan, T/L Note: 計画 means keikaku, Xehanort Exorcisim, plotted pre-Kingdom Hearts III, written post-Kingdom Hearts III, 計画通り
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-26
Updated: 2019-08-02
Packaged: 2020-07-20 03:43:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19985527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HouseofSannae/pseuds/HouseofSannae
Summary: Thirteen years ago, a family was torn apart.Thirteen years ago, a promise was made.The Master was rescued.The sleeper was awoken.Now, the vessel will be freed...





	1. Making It Right

Aqua squared her shoulders and took a deep breath. Beside her, Ven stretched.

Today was a big day.

Terra – or at the moment, Xehanort – rested a short distance away on a gurney that Yen Sid had cast Float on, still in a magically-induced sleep. Sora and Riku, who had both been asked to join them for this, were saying their own goodbyes to Kairi, who was staying to offer Lea moral support. Naminé was staying for the same reason, as Roxas and Xion had left on their own short trips; Roxas was heading to the Destiny Islands, where Xion would be joining him after a small sojourn to Radiant Garden. They hadn’t explained why or what they were going to do, and Aqua hadn’t asked. She was pretty sure she knew already.

Vanitas had declined Ven’s offer to accompany them, saying it was their business, not his. She’d been surprised, but appreciative to find him sleeping in a chair in the infirmary that morning, but privately she was thankful he didn’t want to come. Too many prickly memories of the last time she and Ven were in the Keyblade Graveyard with him.

That was probably also why he didn’t want to come, now that she thought about it.

“Ready?” she asked Ven.

He smiled, weakly. “Probably not, but when has that ever stopped us?”

She smiled back, and Sora and Riku joined them. “Ready when you are, Aqua!” Sora said.

Aqua took another deep breath. “All right. Terra said we needed to reunite his heart, so we’re bringing him to the Keyblade Graveyard. Hopefully, what, if anything, we need to do will be obvious once we get there.”

“Not that I mind, but why did you ask us to come?” Riku asked. “I thought this would be too personal for you three to bring anyone else?”

“We’re not sure what we’ll need to do,” Aqua explained, “so we thought having people on hand that can Dive into someone’s heart might be helpful.”

“Plus, you have a connection to Terra, too, Riku,” Ven added. “Anything like that could help.”

“Sounds great!” Sora said, smiling broadly. “And we’ve got the Power of Waking if we need it!”

Aqua and Ven shared a look. “Sora… what actually _is_ the Power of Waking?” Aqua asked.

Sora shrugged. “I’m not really sure. Master Yen Sid’s always been vague about it. I dunno if having it actually accomplishes anything.”

“Well, if anything, it means we’ll be able to lift the Sleep spell on him,” Riku said, smirking, looking back at Terra’s body.

Aqua chuckled. She was thankful for the opportunity to laugh. The moment passed, and she raised her Keyblade. “Everyone ready?” There was a silent chorus of nods from the boys. “Then let’s do it.

It wasn’t cold, but Aqua shivered.

It wasn’t loud, but Ventus flinched.

It wasn’t dark out, but Sora squinted into the distance.

Riku, alone of the five of them, hadn’t fought for his life on this barren soil, but he wasn’t blind to their reactions. “Do we know where Terra is?” he asked softly, prodding the rest of them out of their memories.

“The last time we were here, he was in a cul-de-sac over that way,” Ven said, pointing. “He probably knows we’re here already, too!”

Aqua nodded. “We just have to bring him over to… himself,” she said, sighing a bit at the impending headache. The quicker this went, the better.

Which of course meant it immediately went to shit.

“And here we are, back to where it all began,” said a deep voice from behind them.

A familiar voice.

The four whirled around to see Terra – to see Xehanort sitting up on the gurney, a dark smile crossing his face.

“Ter–” Aqua cut herself off, knowing better. “How?” she demanded instead.

Xehanort shrugged. “It matters not. You may have taken me, but your attempt at trapping me has failed. _You_ have failed, _Master_ Aqua. _You_ have failed, my _former_ apprentice.” His cold smile grew wider. “And now, I take my leave.” He gestured lazily, and stepped back towards the growing Dark Corridor, passing right through it.

And going nowhere.

“What?” he demanded, looking at the Corridor in shock.

Extending over the aperture were a series of crisscrossed violet chains that were holding the Corridor down and preventing it from fully opening. They extended all the way to the ground, whereupon they turned from chains into lengths of pure darkness.

The darkness pooled, and trailed all the way from the unopenable Corridor to where Riku had slammed his palm against the ground.

Xehanort’s eyes narrowed. “Impudent brat!”

“He won’t be able to escape,” Riku said, obviously strained. “Aqua, Ven, make this quick, I can’t hold it for long!”

“Got it!” Aqua replied as she and Ven summoned their Keyblades. “Sora, guard Riku!”

“On it!” Sora said, the Kingdom Key flashing into his hand.

“Very well,” Xehanort mocked. “In that case, I suppose I should _remove_ the weakest link.”

“What’s that supposed to–” was all Ven had time to say before Xehanort flashed in front of him, Keyblade ready for a swing, a sadistic grin on his face. He’d moved in the space of a blink, and Aqua could only watch in horror as Xehanort’s Keyblade scythed towards Ven –

And clanged against another Keyblade.

But it wasn’t Wayward Wind.

Aqua’s shock turned to joy as the dust cleared and, standing between Xehanort and Ven, was revealed a tall, armoured figure in brass and burgundy, cape flapping in the slight breeze.

“Terra!” Ven shouted.

“Terra!” Aqua echoed.

“Terra?” Riku asked Sora, incredulous.

“Terra,” Sora confirmed, shrugging.

Xehanort. It’s been a long time, said Terra. There was a hint of a deadly smile in his tone. You have something that belongs to me.

“Any claim you could have laid to this vessel has long since expired,” Xehanort sneered. “All you are is a pitiful shell, lacking even so much as a heart.”

I may not have my body, Terra said. I may not have my heart. But what I do have is my _will_. Slowly, he raised Ends of the Earth, pointing it at Xehanort. And I made a promise. I will _make this right_.

“And you won’t do it alone.” Aqua stepped forwards, pointing Stormfall at Xehanort.

“We do this together,” Ven agreed, joining them, holding Wayward Wind outward.

For everyone you’ve hurt, said Terra.

“For every world you tore apart,” said Ven.

“For every life you ruined,” said Aqua. As she spoke, she and Ven activated their armour. Three armoured forms stared down Xehanort, Keyblades at the ready.

Xehanort, though, was unimpressed. “Darkness save me from five teenagers with attitude,” he deadpanned. “We have danced this dance before. We know how it ends.”

Do we ? Terra asked. I think, _Master_ , that you are unwise to lower your _defences !_ With that, he swung his Keyblade back, then forwards. As it travelled, it started to glow, and the blade extended out into a long, thin whip.

Riku’s eyes widened. He’d seen the younger Xehanort do the same thing, back in the Realm of Sleep. Terra’s whip entangled Xehanort’s Keyblade, and Aqua and Ven launched forwards him, as if the maneuver had been planned.

Xehanort snarled, and yanked his Keyblade free of the whip, blocking Aqua’s strike and jumping backwards to avoid Ven’s. He sent a line of lightning racing across the ground at Aqua, and sidestepped Ven as the teen rushed him again.

“I see Eraqus never bothered to teach you to _aim_ ,” he snarked as Ven rose from the ground.

“Shut UP!” Ven yelled, and Riku suddenly had the oddest sense of déjà vu. Ven rushed at Xehanort again, but this time, instead of dodging, Xehanort caught him by the helmet.

“As your former master, allow me to impart upon you one _final_ lesson,” Xehanort sneered. “If one repeats the exact same action, there is _no reason to expect a different result_.” A spell crackled in his hand.

But this time, Ven was ready.

As Xehanort’s Blizzard glittered to life, Ven shouted, “ _Firaga!_ ”

The surface of his armour glowed red-hot, and Xehanort dropped him with a hiss.

Terra rushed over and pulled Ven back to his feet. Ven, when we’re done here I think we need to have a talk about strategy, and about how setting yourself on fire isn’t a good one, he said, sounding half joking, half concerned.

“It worked, didn’t it?” Ven countered smugly, sounding none the worse for wear.

Aqua had shaken off the lightning with little difficulty. She sent her own magic racing towards Xehanort, sending streaks of Blizzaga across the ground towards him. Xehanort rolled his eyes and cut off the lines of ice before they could reach him, but he was unprepared for Aqua sliding down the chilly rails left behind, cloaked in the aura of Spellweaver.

“Hey, we didn’t get a chance to teach you that yet!” Sora called, beaming as he recognized the Flowmotion tactic he’d used in their duel.

Grinning to herself, Aqua started to spin, buffeting Xehanort with icy wind. The fallen master grimaced, but stepped forwards through the maelstrom, hand outstretched. As the others watched in horror, Xehanort seized Aqua’s Keyblade, stopping her in her tracks. “I believe that’s quite enough out of _you_ ,” he hissed as the Spellweaver aura dissipated. He yanked hard on the Keyblade, pulling Aqua off her feet and tossing her to the ground. Xehanort raised his own Keyblade high for a punishing strike, only to have Terra’s whip seize it again. “Blasted wretch!” Xehanort growled.

Taking advantage of his distraction, Ven rushed in and seized Aqua, pulling her back over to their side. “Not so tough when it’s three on one, huh?” he taunted.

Xehanort yanked his Keyblade free once more. “Indeed,” he sneered. “Which means I suppose it is time to even the odds.” He banished his Keyblade and raised his hands.

The ground started to rumble. A horrible roaring noise filled the air, dreadfully familiar. “Sora, Riku, take cover!” Aqua called. “Use a barrier spell!”

“Uh…” Sora said, looking apologetic.

Go ! Terra said. I’ve got Ven!

Aqua leapt in front of Sora and the still-kneeling Riku, throwing up a barrier just before a deluge of old, broken Keyblades flew through the air towards them.

“It was unwise of you to bring me here,” Xehanort mocked. “A pity the _shell_ is bound to this place.”

Keyblades glanced off the Aqua’s barrier. On the other side of the clearing, Terra had changed his Keyblade into a large heater shield, sheltering Ven beneath it.

“This is horrible,” Sora whispered. “I thought… I thought these Keyblades belonged to the people who died in the Keyblade War?”

“They do,” Aqua confirmed, voice tight with the effort of holding her barrier together.

“Then… aren’t these their hearts? How could he do this? Use them like this?” Sora asked. Not that he wasn’t aware of the answer.

It was just… sad.

Sora stared at his hand, then slowly shook his head. “No.”

“No?” Aqua grunted, but Riku had known Sora for longer.

“Sora, whatever you’re about to do, _don’t_ ,” he said, an edge of panic in his voice.

Sora merely grinned at him. “It’s okay, Riku. I’m just stepping out for a bit.”

“Sora. Do NOT–”

“Be right back!” Sora said. “Just gotta have a word with someone!” With that, and to Riku and Aqua’s horror, he stepped out of the barrier.

“Sora!” Riku yelled, panicked.

“Don’t!” Aqua shouted, but Sora was already outside in the storm of Keyblades.

He took a deep breath, and closed his eyes. Gently, he stuck out his hand.

His hand closed, and he jumped back behind the barrier, bringing with him an old, rusty Keyblade that he’d caught out of midair. It was a simple design; a purple metal hilt, a silver shaft, and a cutout of a five-pointed star for the teeth.

“I’m telling Kairi,” Riku said, only half joking.

Sora paled, then shook his head. “I’m sorry, Riku, but I have to do this. I have to know… if they know.”

“If… they know… what?” Aqua ground out. The storm hadn’t lessened.

“If they know what he’s doing to them,” Sora said, sitting down and placing the old Keyblade across his lap.

“I don’t understand,” Riku said, confused.

Sora smiled. It was, for him, a very quiet smile. “I’ll explain later, Riku. If this works.”

“Better be a good explanation,” Riku grumbled, but fell silent as Sora took in a deep breath.

He focused on the Keyblade in his lap, and reached out with his heart.

In his mind’s eye, a figure appeared. They were blurry and indistinct; male or female, or somewhere between or not at all, he couldn’t tell. They were standing with their back to Sora.

But they were a Keybearer. And that was all that mattered.

“Please!” Sora called. “You did your best, all of you! I know you did!”

The figure turned to look, tilting their head in confusion.

“You don’t have to keep fighting! None of you do!” Sora continued. “You can rest now!”

The figure turned to face Sora. Their hair colour was meaningless, skin colour appeared to be “yes”, eye colour indecipherable, their clothes vague and ever-changing.

“It’s on us now!” Sora said. “We can’t fix what happened to all of you. But, the Keyblade War is over! We’re here! We’ll carry on!

“So you can rest! You did your part! And we’re grateful for it! But it’s time to let go of the past! Move on! We’ll be okay!”

The figure said nothing. But they nodded, and smiled. Slowly, they reached out a hand towards Sora, and patted him on the shoulder.

Sora smiled back. “You’re welcome. Have a good rest. You earned it.”

He opened his eyes.

They Keyblade in his lap began to glow.

“What’s going on?” Riku asked.

Outside the barrier, the tumult of Keyblades continued, but more and more of their number were beginning to glow as well.

“I told them it was okay to move on,” Sora said.

The Keyblade in his lap shrunk into a sphere of light, and rose towards the heavens.

As the five watched in awe, the glowing Keyblades similarly condensed and soared skywards. More and more of the whirlwind started to glow and vanish, until the Keyblade Graveyard lit up with streaks of light. Carefully, Aqua let the barrier fall, and Terra changed his Keyblade back to normal. Xehanort watched with fury in his eyes as the countless abandoned Keyblades of the Graveyard turned into balls of light and vanished, one by one.

“Untold millennia in this lifeless regolith, and mere _words_ are all it takes to destroy them?” Xehanort hissed. “Preposterous!”

“You really don’t understand, do you?” Sora asked, glaring at him. “You were _using_ them. Using all that was left of them! Like their hearts were just _weapons_ to you! Every one of those Keyblades belonged to someone with hopes! Someone with dreams! Someone with friends, with family! Someone who was loved and loved in return! Someone who _mattered!_ You can’t just force them to fight for you! All I did was put them to rest, where _you_ can’t reach them!”

“And what of the Keyblades that are passed down?” Xehanort asked. “What of mine? What of _yours_?” He gestured towards the Kingdom Key. “Are we using the hearts of another as a _weapon_?”

Sora considered his Keyblade. “I have no idea. But this Keyblade _chose_ me. If it’s someone else’s heart, then I’m proud to be the one to carry on its dreams. Like I told your other selves. I’m proud to be a small part, of something greater!”

To his surprise, Xehanort laughed. “And what an interesting personality you are,” he said. “But this talk is meaningless. What purpose can this discussion possibly serve?”

Sora shrugged. “I dunno, it makes a pretty good distraction.”

Xehanort blinked, but before he could reply, golden chains lanced out of the ground and bound him again. He growled, and twisted to spy Aqua behind him, where she’d snuck while he was distracted.

“You’re not getting away this time,” she declared.

“This again?” Xehanort said. “You cannot bind me, _Master_ Aqua. You are but an inexperienced _child_.”

“I don’t have to,” Aqua said, the smirk evident in her tone. “Terra!”

Xehanort turned back towards Sora to see Terra changing his Keyblade into a giant cannon. I’ve been saving this one for you, he explained, in a satisfied tone. Riku watched a drop of sweat roll down Sora’s temple; evidently he’d seen this before.

A blast of energy illuminated the landscape as Aqua cartwheeled away. Xehanort grunted, struggling against the bonds, but he was unable to escape the beam of light.

Unfortunately, he eventually realized this, and stopped trying.

“ _Come, Guardian!_ ”

The Guardian Heartless erupted into being, forming a barrier between Xehanort and Terra’s blast. As Terra’s attack ended, Xehanort snapped the chains binding him, and Terra changed his Keyblade back to normal. The five regrouped, Sora once again taking position to cover Riku. Two on three, Terra said. Kind of nostalgic.

“We’ve had worse odds,” Ven said. “Let’s stick together this time, though, okay?”

Aqua nodded, and pointed her Keyblade at the two dark forms. “Once more, this time with feeling!”

The three rushed towards Xehanort and the Heartless. Xehanort caught Aqua’s strike on his Keyblade, and the Guardian caught Ven and Terra’s on its hands. Xehanort made to pull back, but Aqua followed him, maintaining the blade lock.

The Guardian swiped at Ven, but Terra moved to block its hand. “I believe it’s time for someone else to be laid to rest,” Xehanort sneered. “Guardian!”

The dark figure wrapped its hand around Ends of the Earth. Terra struggled, and tried to pull away, but it was in vain.

As the other four watched in shock, the Guardian reached forwards with its darkness and engulfed Terra’s armour. The jerking motions Terra was making could still be seen for a couple seconds as the darkness covered it.

Then, they stopped.

The Guardian’s darkness pulled back, revealing Terra’s armour.

“Terra!” Ven yelled in horror.

“Terra!” Aqua echoed, still struggling against Xehanort.

There was no response. The armour didn’t move.

It stood frozen for a heartbeat. Then collapsed like a puppet with the strings cut.

A pile of disjointed armour was all that remained.

“No,” Aqua whispered. Then, louder, she shouted, “No!”

“I’m afraid so,” Xehanort said. Aqua pushed against his Keyblade but the fallen master in her friend’s body held firm. “A pity. But he served his purpose.”

“Fuck you, give him _back!_ ” Aqua screamed, and shoved hard enough to push Xehanort off balance. Xehanort stumbled backwards, shocked, and Aqua redoubled her attack.

Ven, in contrast, had frozen. “Terra…” he whispered, and clenched his hands. “You said…”

“Ven, look out!” Sora cried, but before the other teen could react, the Guardian Heartless seized him, pinning his arms to his sides. Ven was pressed against the side of the canyon wall, the breath knocked from his lungs.

“Isn’t this… right?” he choked out as the Guardian reared back to slam him against the wall again. “Agh!” Ven gasped for air, but still managed to wheeze, “You said… _reunite your heart_.”

The Guardian brought its other fist back for a final blow. Ven found enough breath to shout. “Isn’t that right… _Terra?!_ ”

The Guardian’s fist stopped centimeters from Ventus’s face. Its hand shook. Then, slowly, with jerky motions, it reached for the straps binding its mouth.

With effort, it snapped them.

The Guardian drew a deep breath, and in the rumbling voice of the deepest depths, breathed, “ _I… made… a promise._ ”

Ven’s smile lit up the landscape. “I knew I was right!”

“ _You were,_ ” said the Guardian – said Terra. “ _Thank you for believing in me, Ven_.”

“Always,” Ven said, then looked over to Aqua. “We have to help her!”

Terra nodded. “ _This ends_ now.”

Aqua grunted, barely managing to parry a strike from Xehanort. She’d gotten stronger, but Xehanort had decades of skill over her. He wasn’t even using his other hand. “Still you struggle,” he said, smirking. “Do you not see that all is _lost_?”

“Never!” Aqua declared, breathing hard. “As long as I draw breath, we will find a way to defeat you! A way to set this right!”

“Your determination is truly admirable,” Xehanort said. “You would have been a Keyblade Master worthy of legend… _had you but survived_.” He swept forwards, catching Aqua in the stomach.

As the breath hissed painfully out of her lungs, she collapsed to her knees on the ground, almost losing her grip on her Keyblade. Xehanort raised his Keyblade over his head for one final blow.

“ _THAT. IS. ENOUGH!_ ”

To Aqua’s shock, the Guardian Heartless reared up behind Xehanort and seized him from behind. “What?!” Xehanort sputtered, equally shocked.

Ven rushed up beside Aqua. “Are you okay?” he asked, helping her to her feet.

“I’m fine, just winded, but… what?” she asked in return, voice weak. “What happ–?”

And then it hit her. Where and when she had seen this before.

“Terra,” she breathed.

“Impossible!” Xehanort raged. “You were destroyed!”

“ _Not destroyed. Put back together. Freed from your dominion,_ ” Terra growled. “ _And now, I’m taking back what’s mine!_ ”

With an agonized howl from Xehanort, the form of the Guardian Heartless pressed against him, and started to merge with him, absorbing into his stolen body. Xehanort dropped his Keyblade and staggered back one step, then two. His hands fell to his sides, head tilted back towards the sky, eyes staring up at nothing.

Ven and Aqua rushed forwards to join their friend. Terra’s eyes flashed – yellow, blue, yellow, blue – the two colours merging and intermingling in strange ways, the only evidence of the internal struggle for dominance being fought within him.

The half-open Dark Corridor faded, and Riku rose to his feet, exhausted from the effort of holding it shut. Sora moved to let him lean on him, and Riku gratefully accepted. “Is that it?” Riku asked as they walked over to Aqua and Ven.

“No,” Aqua said. “He’s fighting Xehanort within himself. It’s not over until he wins.”

“So… we should help him then, right?” Sora asked, smiling.

Ven matched him smile for smile. “Definitely.”

Sora moved Riku over to Aqua, and then took Ven’s hand. Riku and Sora both raised their Keyblades, pointed them at Terra, and, with Aqua and Ventus being carried along with them, Dove.

“Over there!” Ven cried, pointing ahead. The four of them sailed down in the inky blackness towards Terra’s Heart Station, where they could already see two figures with Keyblades locked in combat.

Terra – and it was Terra now, here in his own body – grunted and slid back towards the edge. Xehanort, now appearing as his own, original, elderly body. He stepped forwards, shaking his head.

“You’ve come this close, made it this far, and yet still you do not understand. You have achieved _nothing_. You will regain _nothing_. This last gasp of defiance will come to _nothing_.”

“You’re wrong,” Terra said. “I know my heart. I know myself. And you’re not welcome in here!”

“But you welcomed in the Darkness,” Xehanort pointed out. “You called upon its strength. It will not leave you, ever.”

“Then that’ll be the price I pay,” Terra said, struggling to his feet and readying himself. “If I can protect the people who matter to me, it’s all worth it.”

“And yet here you are alone, about to be consumed,” Xehanort sneered. “Where are these ‘friends’ you hold so dear?”

Terra smiled. “Where they always are. Right here, by my side.” With a flourish, Aqua, Ventus, Sora, and Riku landed on Terra’s heart station, flanking him.

Xehanort’s eyes narrowed. “Ah, yes. A Dive to the heart. Yen Sid has much to answer for, teaching that to mere _children_.”

“I don’t have the patience to lecture you on taking the moral high ground after all you’ve done,” Aqua spat, readying her Keyblade.

“It ends here and now, ‘Master’!” Ven agreed, raising his own.

Terra looked back towards the younger Keybearers. “Sora, Riku,” he said. “Thank you for all you’ve done. But please, stay out of this. This is our fight.”

“Are you sure?” Riku asked.

“We’re a part of this, too!” Sora protested.

Terra smiled. “True. But it started with us. So, let your seniors clean up their own mess. Okay?”

Resigned, Sora nodded. Riku patted him on the shoulder.

“Your overconfidence is your weakness,” Xehanort drawled.

“Maybe so,” said Terra. “But my faith in my friends… is my _strength!_ ” He rushed forwards, joined by Aqua and Ven. Xehanort lifted his Keyblade to meet them, and the battle was joined anew.

Sora and Riku watched in astonishment as the four Keybearers whirled around the circular stage. Blasts of magic, darkness, and light clashed and evaporated, sputtered and flared. Keyblades clanged off of one another in a deadly symphony. Golden chains sprang from both Aqua and Terra’s Keyblades, holding Xehanort long enough for Ven to rush in, moving faster than either had ever seen him go before. Xehanort countered with dark fire, magic that shook Terra’s Heart Station, and blows like iron against their defenses. But slowly, inch by inch, he was being pushed back.

Xehanort’s foot reached the edge of the Heart Station.

But there was a gleam in his eyes, Sora could see. Right as Terra swung the final blow that would push him off, Xehanort sunk into the shadows and popped out back in the centre of the Heart Station.

“As long as you are tied to the Darkness, Terra, I will always have a place here in your heart,” Xehanort said, mocking.

Sora felt Riku tense next to him, and he understood. Terra’s situation was the same as Riku’s had once been. But Riku had pushed Ansem out of his heart, for good. Surely Terra could do the same?

“It won’t be enough,” Riku whispered. “They can’t stamp him out completely. And… we wouldn’t be able to help, either.”

“But… that’s not fair,” Sora breathed. His heart ached. So far, and they couldn’t reach the end? That was just…

Sora blinked. For a second there, it felt like something… like some _one_ had reached out and touched him. Had shared his sorrow.

“Riku,” he said, grabbing his boyfriend’s arm. “Did you feel that?”

“Feel wh–?” Riku started to ask, then stiffened, feeling the wave of sorrow as well. “Yeah, I did. What does it mean?”

“I… I think… it’s like when I could feel what Ven was feeling, or Roxas or Xion. I think…”

Riku was staring at him. “You think… someone else’s heart is here? In Terra?”

Sora nodded, getting more and more confident of his conclusion by the second. “That has to be it, Riku! And we… we can do something about that!”

Riku nodded in understanding. “The Power of Waking!”

“We’ve just gotta find them!” Sora declared, and the two of them reached out with their hearts.

Before them, Aqua pulled a panting, kneeling Terra to his feet. “Is that all the resistance you can muster?” Xehanort asked, a lazy note in his tone. He didn’t even seem to have broken a sweat. “Youth truly is wasted on the young.”

“We’re not out yet,” Ven said, though he, too, was panting. Aqua herself was exhausted as well.

“Trust me, we can do this all day,” she said, wiping a trickle of blood from her lip.

“As long as it takes,” Terra agreed, standing tall once more.

Xehanort smiled. “Worthy opponents, all three of you,” he said. There was, surprisingly, a warm note in his tone. “Eraqus would have been proud.” He sighed. “Though, you have also made yourselves quite the nuisance. The least I can do is give you all a swift death.” He raised his Keyblade and prepared to strike.

At that moment there was a burst of bright light off to the side.

All four looked in shock at Sora and Riku, Keyblades drawn and pointing at a Keyhole in the surface of Terra’s Heart Station. It obscured one of the faces, leaving Ven’s and Aqua’s visible.

Out of the light stepped an older man with dark black hair shot through with grey, a scarred visage, and off-white robes.

“Impossible,” Xehanort breathed.

The man smiled. “No, old friend. Merely… unexpected.”

There was a clang. Ven dropped his Keyblade and ran to the man. “Master!”

Eraqus smiled, and bent down to embrace his student. “Ventus.”

“Master!” Aqua joined him, fighting back tears.

Eraqus held out an arm to hug her as well. “Aqua.”

“Master…” Terra said, slowly approaching.

“Terra,” Eraqus said, gently nodding. Terra joined the hug.

“How is this possible?!” Xehanort demanded.

Eraqus looked back at him, disdain in his eyes. “When you cut me down, my heart was not released. The horror of what had happened left Terra’s heart open. He has sheltered mine these long years, even as you have used him.”

“Master, I…” Terra started, but Eraqus shook his head.

“Terra, you were used as a pawn in a game you never agreed to play,” he said. “You were failed by those you placed your trust in. Both Xehanort… and myself.” Eraqus squeezed tighter with the arm that was around Terra. “And yet you have stood firm. You have persisted even in the face of certain destruction. And I want you to know. I clearly never told you enough as you were growing up. I am so utterly proud of you, and all you have accomplished.” Eraqus smiled.

There were tears in Terra’s eyes. “Ventus,” Eraqus continued, kneeling down to face his shortest apprentice. “I put you through such a harrowing experience. Your circumstances were no fault of your own. A mere apology cannot encompass the depths of my regret; but I am sorry for trying to end your life.”

Ven sniffed. “Master… I thought it was the right thing to do, too. I… I’ve never blamed you for that.”

Eraqus smiled, and ruffled Ven’s hair. “In some ways, Ven, you’re still very innocent. Hold on to that innocence as long as you can. It’s a bright spark in a world cast in shades of darkness.” His smile faded, and he turned to his final apprentice. “Master Aqua.”

Aqua looked up at him, tears in her eyes that matched Terra’s. “I left you with such a heavy burden. Yet, you have risen to meet it. You have overcome challenges that would stymie Keybearers thrice your age. Though you have been knocked down, you have never failed to rise back up.”

Aqua shook her head. “Master, I had help, with everything I’ve accomplished–”

“Ah, but that’s the secret,” Eraqus said, smiling and wiping her tears with his sleeve. “There are some Keyblade Masters who never learn to accept help when they need it. It’s one of the most important lessons of all. You have become a splendid Keyblade Master, Aqua. Just as I knew you would. Just as I know Terra and Ventus will, as well.”

Aqua sniffed. “Thank you… Master,” she whispered, burying her head in Eraqus’s chest.

Eraqus looked up at Sora and Riku. “And these are your chosen successors?” he asked. “Sora, what you have accomplished at such a young age is truly shocking. It is unheard of for a self-taught Keybearer to achieve so much in such a short amount of time. But, circumstances like these are equally unheard of. It is good to know the worlds are in such capable hands.”

Sora beamed. “Just leave it to me!”

Eraqus smiled back and turned to Riku. “And Master Riku.”

Riku looked down at his shoes, until Sora elbowed him in the ribs. There was an unreadable expression on Eraqus’s face.

“All my life, I had thought that balance meant the exclusion or minimization of all darkness. This philosophy I tried to pass on to my students. This philosophy lead to a schism between myself, and he who was once my closest friend. And yet… here I find you alone have struck a balance within yourself. You embody the spirit of balance better than any I have ever known, including my own teacher. There could not be a better person to be the first of the new generation of Masters. And I pray that you will be able to pass on your balance, to any who need it.” Slowly, Eraqus smiled. “Terra’s choice of you was an excellent one.”

“I… Master Eraqus, I…” Riku’s face was rapidly turning red. “Thank you,” he managed.

Eraqus smiled, delighted.

“…Master,” Ven said, in a nervous tone. “Are you… this is sounding… very final.”

Eraqus’s smile faded. “Yes, Ven. I’m afraid so,” he said.

“What?” Aqua gasped. “But, Master, you were just freed! We can get a body for you, you don’t have to–”

But Eraqus was shaking his head. “No, Aqua. I’m sorry. But my time has come. Mine… and Xehanort’s.”

“How touching,” Xehanort drawled. “But my task is incomplete, Eraqus. I am going _nowhere._ ”

Eraqus gave him a sorrowful look. “No, old friend. Our time has passed. We must clear the way for the younger generation. Our conflict… is at an end.”

Xehanort shook his head. “Eraqus, still you do not _see_. This _balance_ that you praise the boy for, it cannot be achieved unless sacrifices are made. You lacked the _spine_ to do what _had_ to be done. Which is why the task fell to _me_.”

Eraqus shook his head. “I never understood why you thought it was necessary to embrace the Darkness. Indulging a lust for power is not _balance_.”

“If you believed my endeavour was naught but a lust for power, then you truly did not understand, my friend,” Xehanort said, dismissive.

“I did not need to understand your motivations to know your methods were wrong,” Eraqus countered. He pulled away from his students and stepped towards Xehanort. “It must end here, Xehanort. _We_ must end here.”

“No,” Xehanort growled. “As long as there is Darkness, as long as there is doubt, as long as the task is incomplete, I will carry on.”

“Not this time, old friend. Not this time.” Eraqus reached out and seized Xehanort’s shoulder.

There was a blast of power that pushed the five younger Keybearers back. “Terra, Aqua, Ventus! I am utterly proud of the three of you, and all you have accomplished.” Eraqus called. “Sora, Riku… Thank you, for everything you’ve done for the worlds… and for my family.”

“Master!” Terra cried.

Eraqus smiled. “I’m afraid you’ll have to carry me in your heart a bit less literally from now on. I love you all.”

Aqua caught Ven as he reached out for their master, pulling him back just before a blast of bright light wreathed with shadow engulfed Xehanort and Eraqus. “We need to wake up,” Riku ordered. “Terra, are you going to be okay?”

Terra nodded, still staring at the pillar of light and darkness. “I’m back in control. I can feel Xehanort’s influence fading. Go!”

Riku took Aqua’s hand, and Sora grabbed Ven’s arm.

Ven woke with a gasp and a minor headache; no one being there to support their bodies meant all four of them had collapsed upon Diving into Terra.

“Ven? Are you okay?”

It was a voice he’d been longing to hear for ages.

“Terra!” he shouted, and wrapped his arms around his friend’s neck as Terra, laughing, pulled him to his feet.

“Nice hair,” Aqua said, joining them and hugging them both.

Terra fluffed a bit of his Xemnas-length, but brown again, hair off his neck. “You’re just mad because I pull off the mullet better than you.”

She laughed, and hugged them tighter.

Behind them, someone cleared his throat. They turned, to see Sora and Riku. Sora was massaging a sore spot on the back of his head, but Riku was standing almost at attention.

Terra smiled. “It’s good to meet you again.”

Riku stiffened. “You… you told me to come find you,” he said, almost like an explanation.

Terra stepped over to him, and placed a hand on his shoulder. “I did. And I can’t thank you enough. All of you,” he said, looking at the other four. “I couldn’t have done this without you.”

Aqua smiled. “You said it yourself, Terra. Our friends are our strength.”

“And we’ve got a lot of people you’ve got to meet!” Sora said, beaming.

“They’ll all be excited to meet you! Well, most of them,” Ven amended.

Terra laughed. “You two really are alike, huh?”

Ven and Sora looked at each other and shrugged.

“Look!” Riku said suddenly, pointing at a spot in the air.

Two balls of light were rising through the air, mingling and blending together.

“Master…” Aqua breathed. Terra wrapped an arm around her and Ven both, pulling them close. They stood there in silence until the light had faded from sight. Terra took a deep breath.

“Well…” he said. “That’s one down, twelve to go.”

“You know about that?” Sora asked, surprised. “How much do you actually…”

“Remember?” Terra asked. He sighed. “…Everything Xemnas experienced until the first time the two of you defeated him. After that… it’s kind of a blur. But I know what you’ve been up to.”

“Do you remember anything about Xehanort’s plans?” Aqua asked.

Terra shook his head. “Nothing specific, nothing you all didn’t already know. But he still doesn’t have all thirteen Seekers. And without the oldest version of himself, he’s missing two now.”

“It’ll be three as soon as we can bring Isa back to himself!” Sora declared.

Terra smiled. “We’re in pretty good shape, huh?” He stretched, then walked over to the pile of his armour and picked up the pauldron, rerebrace, and vambrace that comprised his armour’s sealed form. He tapped the activation plate, and the rest of the armour collapsed into itself. He slid the remaining pieces back onto his arm, where they belonged.

Ven beamed. “Let’s head home!”

Terra smiled. “I’ve got a lot of catching up to do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This idea was initially a lot simpler. It involved the Lingering Will forming itself around Terra's body, and that putting Terra back where he belongs.  
> Then Kingdom Hearts III happened.  
> When I went to write this fic I rewatched the "Terra gets restored" cutscene, because I knew I wanted Ven and Aqua to have more agency in the process than what canon gave them. Upon this rewatch I discovered that the bar was so low I almost tripped over it.  
> There was still some good stuff in there, though. I had heard the theory that the Guardian Heartless was Terra before, but I hadn't been planning on actually using it, until it got confirmed.  
> What I _was_ planning was Eraqus showing up again. And I can prove it! Way back in Land of Oblivion, the Force ghost version of Eraqus says that the real Eraqus "has long since departed this world". (Note that this was before my whole "Vanitas is dead" gambit, so I hadn't established the rule that "heart without body" = dead yet). Ghost Eraqus didn't say he was _dead_. Just that he had long departed _this_ world, meaning Castle Oblivion/the Land of Departure. You may notice that I stole some of Eraqus's dialog from KHIII, albeit with more added. I was pretty satisfied with what he said to Terra, Aqua, and Ven in canon, although as you can see I thought more needed to be said. As well, I was disappointed that Eraqus didn't say he was proud of Terra; since, you know, Terra's whole thing he went through got kicked off by him believing that he'd let Eraqus down.  
> Also, you'll note the lack of Eraqus and Xehanort ascending as friends to Twink Heaven™. Yeah. Xehanort doesn't get a happy ending in this version of events. Not after everything he's done, regardless of the reasons. Cool motive, still multiple counts of attempted and successful murder, not to mention child abuse and doomsday scenarios.  
> And, the KeyKid! They're not the Player. The Player will never actually show up, considering I'm not going to force my KeyKid on all of you, though they might be mentioned once or twice once KHUx is the main plot focus (which, still waiting on more info from canon before I make any solid story plans regarding the Foretellers and such). No, the KeyKid we see here isn't our KeyKid; they're "someone else's KeyKid." Meaning, instead of them being "our" player character, they're the player character of someone you might have fought in the PvP mode, for example, or joined a union with. No one in particular, just someone else.  
> I think that's about it! No, I will never stop making jokes about how the Power of Waking has nothing to do with waking people up! Next week will be a short epilogue that might clear some things up before we get into the next multichapter, and figure out how to help Isa...


	2. Epilogue

A bright point of light rose through the air, jostling and shaking but heading steadily upwards, resolute in its path. The heart was on its way to join Kingdom Hearts, and this dead world lacked any Heartless that would attack it.

As it passed the highest peak of the tallest mountain, a Keyblade reached out and touched it, stopping the heart motionless in its tracks.

“Finally. Do you think the old man knows how boring it is sitting here watching him pretend to get his ass kicked?” a voice grumbled.

The man – more a boy, really – holding the Keyblade that carried the heart turned to glare at his companion. “I do not question the motives of my older self, Xigbar. All has gone according to his plan.”

Xigbar snorted. “Really? Everything? As _if._ I don’t think losing Saïx was part of the plan.”

“Nevertheless,” the younger Xehanort said, “we shall continue.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Xigbar grumbled, and walked over to a shape lying on the ground next to them, covered in a sheet. He whipped the sheet off to reveal a blank, featureless body. “Stealing these Replicas wasn’t easy, you know. He’s lucky Vex – oh, wait, Even now, my bad – didn’t change the passwords on me.”

“It could not have gone any other way,” Xehanort replied. He was at the edge of his patience with the older (and simultaneously younger) man.

“ _Sure_ it couldn’t’ve. And we were _supposed_ to lose an extra vessel. I’m sure. As _if_.” Xigbar sneered.

“If you would kindly be silent for even a single moment?” Xehanort asked, flatly. “This takes quite a bit of concentration.” Gingerly, he lowered the heart towards the Replica body.

The heart drifted into the body, which started to convulse and change as they watched. When the convulsions had ceased, the elderly Master Xehanort sat up, taking a deep breath.

“Welcome back, oldtimer,” Xigbar said, bowing facetiously.

“The plan was a success?” Master Xehanort asked his younger self, ignoring Xigbar.

Xehanort nodded. “They have no idea you survived. However–”

“The loss of Saïx as a vessel is unfortunate, but not devastating. We have other candidates,” Master Xehanort said, dismissively. His younger self offered him a hand to rise to his feet, but the older man ignored it, rising by himself and stretching. “I must admit, I had hoped that this procedure would have returned me to my prime,” he said.

“Nah, your heart knows you’re a wrinkly old bastard, through and through,” Xigbar said, snide.

Xehanort paled slightly, but Master Xehanort merely laughed. “I should not be surprised. All is as it should be. How fares our search for new vessels, Braig?”

“It’s Xigbar,” Xigbar corrected. “Your younger self here has an idea for a candidate, though we’ll need to pluck him out of time like we did with old Oedipus Complex. He’s kind of dead at the moment.”

“Mmm. Doable,” Master Xehanort mused. “And the other two?”

“Xemnas said something about a world the old Organization was investigating. There was a person who would’ve made a powerful Nobody if he lost his heart. A powerful Heartless, too, I’m sure. Just a matter of getting him to agree,” Xigbar said.

Master Xehanort nodded. “That will be Xemnas’s responsibility, then. As for the third… I have an idea that I want investigated. I will speak more of it another time.” He looked at his younger self. “You retrieved my Keyblade?”

Xehanort held up No Name, the Keyblade he’d used to snare his older self’s heart. “Good,” Master Xehanort said. He held out his hand expectantly.

There was silence.

“Is something the matter?” Master Xehanort asked evenly.

“No,” Xehanort said, and handed the Keyblade back to his older self. “I am curious, though. Why this lengthy masquerade?”

“I suppose an explanation is owed,” Master Xehanort said. “I miscalculated; I will freely admit that. I thought I could forge the χ–blade with a single pure Darkness and a single pure Light; my apprentices, Vanitas and Ventus. The experiment failed; the χ–blade was incomplete, and shattered by Aqua and the damnable mouse. I needed thirteen Darknesses, and seven Lights. But, in my hubris I had taken one of those Lights as a vessel.”

“Oh, I get it. You needed to get your heart out of Terra so he could join the rest of his little friends,” Xigbar interjected.

“Correct,” said Master Xehanort. “But I could not merely change to a different vessel and return Terra. The Guardians of Light would have been suspicious of Terra showing up free of my influence. This way, they will fully believe that they have wrested Terra away from my grasp, and not suspect that I desired his return just as much as they did.”

“So, what, he’s a sleeper agent?” Xigbar asked.

Master Xehanort shook his head. “No. He is indeed free of my influence. I intend for him to take the field as one of the seven Lights. However,” he said, lips turning upwards into a nasty smile, “we shall see if he is not devoured by his own darkness first. But it will not matter. If that is the case, he was not fit to be a Light, and there are others who will take his place.”

“May I ask why your departure from Terra’s body took so long?” Xehanort asked. “From the time I awakened you from Sleep to Terra’s return to his body I can understand, but what dragged that confrontation out?”

Master Xehanort’s face turned sour. “Our old friend Eraqus was not as dead as I believed I left him thirteen years ago. He had been hiding inside Terra’s heart, and thanks to Sora and Riku, was released. He attempted to take me with him as he passed on to Kingdom Hearts. He failed, as he always does.” There was an unreadable expression on the younger Xehanort’s face. “Is something the matter?”

“No, I am merely… surprised to hear he lasted this long.”

“He was a cunning old fox,” Master Xehanort said. “I must acknowledge that.”

“Okay, but what about Saïx?” Xigbar asked. “Was that on purpose?”

Master Xehanort’s lip twitched. “No. I had not planned on losing that vessel. But it is of no concern. We, too, have spares.”

“I understand,” said Xehanort. “We cannot fight our fate.”

“Indeed,” Master Xehanort said. “And in service of that, I believe I have a council to attend in the Realm of Sleep, about a year ago. The union of seven or thirteen will not be achieved… but I must be there to witness it.” He opened a Dark Corridor behind him. “If you will attend me, my younger self?”

“Yes,” said Xehanort. He followed his older self through the corridor; for what else could he do?

His fate was already written.

* * *

_~fal-tor-pan: Final Re:Mix~_

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I committed an error.  
> Back when I first played 3D, I assumed because of time travel that the Master Xehanort that shows up when they attempt to Nort Sora was from BBS-era. This was supported in my mind later when I played BBS, since Master Xehanort's old body disintegrates when he bodysnatches Terra. So, it made logical sense to me that the old Master Xehanort was from around the time of BBS, and the recompleted Xehanort after Ansem and Xemnas are killed would be a ten+ years older Terranort.  
> However, I discovered I was wrong.   
> Back on Land of Oblivion, I had a discussion with unnoun about the nature of The World That Never Was as it appears in 3D. For some reason, I thought that it was stated that TWTNW was caught halfway between the Realm Between and the Realm of Sleep. Upon research, I was unable to find that information (so I may have imagined it), but I did discover something else.   
> Young Xehanort refers to the final Seeker to arrive as "My most future self". This final Seeker is Old Master Xehanort.   
> Meaning that Old Xehanort was not from BBS, but either from present day, or further in the future.  
> (And yes, Ansem and Xemnas count as Xehanort for the purposes of this discussion. At least in my opinion.)  
> There were two ways to make this work. The first was to say that Xehanort had lived in Terra's body so long that Terra had reached the age Xehanort was in BBS. Naturally this would make deNorting Terra a tad difficult, even before the ontological paradox it would cause.   
> The second was this. And so it came to pass that I needed three spare bodies, not the one for Vanitas I already knew I needed. (The third and final body is marked for another unrevealed Nort, who has at this point already been placed in it. That's all you're getting until they show up.)  
> I'm honestly a bit surprised that nobody asked how Terranort woke up, or what happened to his Keyblade, but I suppose the euphoria over Terra coming back was a tad overwhelming. Not that I blame any of you. ;) And I do hope that this chapter hasn't dampened the first too much.   
> There's also more information on other unnamed Norts! But I don't think you're going to get very far with it. The idea is more that, once they show up, you'll be able to tell who was who if you look back at this fic (same for Secret Weapon).   
> If you're wondering why I'm still calling Xehanort's Keyblade No Name as opposed to Gazing Eye, neither of the Xehanorts here know the Keyblade's real name, and this is a Young Norty-POV. There's only one character in present day who knows what its real name is; I'm sure you know who.   
> Finally, and I'm gonna be frank with you, I'm tossing the canon explanation of time travel out the fucking window. It's too complicated and takes too much finagling to make work. So Xehanort is using another method: Young Norty's Keyblade, the one with the clock motif, is not his base Keyblade. It's special. It's allowing him to make jumps through time. Only the one time Keyblade exists, no one else has one, this is how he's doing it. I adore time travel stories, but honestly the way it works in Kingdom Hearts is... kind of dumb. (Plus Even isn't on Xehanort's side since Roxas, Xion, and Naminé don't need saving, so Xehanort doesn't have access to 13+ spare bodies in the first place). Everything that was established prior to KHIII is still applicable, the canon method of time travel is what Sora and Riku did in 3D, and what Ansem SoD did to recruit Young Xehanort in the first place, but aside from that, Xehanort is using this different method. Because it makes it easier on _me._ All this to explain that the climax of 3D is where Old Norty is heading at the end of this chapter.   
> I think that about covers it! In two weeks time, join me for the start of the unNorting Isa fic... and a _ROAD TRIP!_


End file.
